Kings complete sweep of Pistons
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- DeMarcus Cousins powered for 22 points and 14 rebounds, and the Sacramento Kings snapped a five-game losing streak with a 109-104 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday at The Palace.
The Kings (17-27) own just two wins in their past 10 games, both against Detroit. Sacramento also ended a six-game losing streak at The Palace. Its last victory in Michigan occurred Feb. 10, 2010.
Ty Lawson tied his season high with 19 points off the bench for the Kings. Sacramento also had four other players in double figures: Willie Cauley-Stein and Darren Collison supplied 12 points apiece, Garrett Temple chipped in 11 and Matt Barnes added 10.
Reggie Jackson's 18 points and 11 assists led the Pistons, who saw their three-game winning streak snapped.
Jon Leuer scored 15 points -- all in the first half -- and Tobias Harris also had 15 for Detroit (21-25). Andre Drummond contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Marcus Morris tossed in 13 points.
Pistons shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope returned to the lineup after missing four games with a rotator cuff strain. He finished with 14 points.
Collison's 3-pointer midway through the third gave Sacramento a 78-71 lead. The Kings' advantage fluctuated between three and seven points the remainder of the quarter, and Sacramento brought an 88-81 lead into the fourth.
Lawson and Cauley-Stein made back-to-back layups to open the final period, pushing Sacramento's lead to 11. Lawson's 3-pointer with 7:22 remaining kept it there at 101-90.
The Pistons scored the next six points before Cousins dunked after Drummond gambled and tried to make a steal. Cousins' free throws with 2:33 left made it 105-98.
Drummond's layup with a minute remaining pulled Detroit within 105-101, but Cousins' step-back jumper sealed the Kings' victory.
Sacramento's reserves carried the team to a 65-62 halftime lead. Lawson had 12 points and Cauley-Stein added 10 by the break as the bench supplied 35 points. Leuer reached the 15-point mark for Detroit before retreated to the bench with three fouls.
NOTES: Sacramento F Omri Casspi (right plantaris tendon strain) missed his fourth consecutive game. ... The Pistons have four days off until their next game, thanks to a quirk in the schedule. Coach Stan Van Gundy isn't a fan of the layoff. "We'll practice but how much we do each day and everything else, what we try to get accomplished, I don't know," he said. "I've never had an in-season break like this." ... Detroit F Marcus Morris recorded his 4,000th career point against Washington on Saturday. ... Sacramento's postponed game at Philadelphia will be played on Monday, Jan. 30. It was originally scheduled on Nov. 30 but unsafe court conditions caused the postponement. ... Pistons C Andre Drummond and Kings C DeMarcus Cousins are Nos. 1-2 in the league in 20-point, 20-rebound games since Drummond's rookie season in 2012-13. Drummond has 12 such outings, while Cousins has collected 10.